Harley Quinn Black + White + Red #7: Hands OFF the Merchandise!

Harley Quinn Black + White + Red #7 is here! From Erica Henderson, who pulled double duties on writing AND artwork, we get another story examining the breakup of Harley Quinn and Joker and how Poison Ivy seems to always be the one at her side no matter what.

Have we had more than our fair share of stories looking at the biggest breakup of DC Comics in Harley and Joker? Undoubtedly so. That being said, if there is a fresh angle to be had I’m still more than willing to dive into a new story. Henderson brings an unmistakable flair to their work with super stylized artwork and an emphasis on fun despite the precarious situation. In the aptly titled “Give Me a Break” story, we see Harley seeking closure from Joker and setting off pure chaos while doing so. It makes for an entertaining issue and once more tiptoes around the notion of Pam’s loyalty to Harley with nuance.

The result is a book that looks incredibly different than anything we’ve seen before from Harley as a character, but ultimately doesn’t really push the narrative to a new and intriguing place. Harley searching for closure and unable to see what is right in front of her face with Pam is something that just keeps happening in a lot of different interpretations and frankly it’s time for it to just happen on the page. The love triangle between these three characters has served as the catalyst for so many stories that cute ones like this will simply get lost.

Downie helps to bring a very professional flair to the visuals with some strong lettering. Harley and Poison Ivy look familiar but carry unique traits that show them differently than what we’re used to. I think the art excels where the story maybe doesn’t as much, mainly in the fact that it’s doing something new and taking risks visually. This helps to keep you interested even when you might be able to predict what comes next.

Ultimately Harley Quinn Black + White + Red #7 is another strong entry that falters just slightly in relying on the well trodden path of Harley’s relationship difficulties without really showing a firm path forward. The humor, action and heart are all certainly present to make for an entertaining comic, but there is still potential for so much more.